Paris: A. Guyot, 1834. Fifth edition. 8vo., 203 pp., 5 folding engraved plates. Contemporary binding of quarter morocco and marbled paper over boards; raised bands with gilt detail and titling on spine; all edges marbled. Slight wear to tips; pages toned with moderate intermittent foxing, which is more pronounced on the plates. A near very good copy. Item #25932

Charles Gavard (1794 - 1871) was an accomplished engraver, lithographer, owner of a printing shop, engineer and inventor. He invented two optical devices, the pantograph and the diagraph, which allowed for the acurate reproduction of art works, plans, maps, etc., in any desired scale. The diagraph was similar to the camera lucida although much more accurate due to its bezel and mirrors and a cursor that held the pencil or engraving tool.

SIGNED by the author on page facing title.

WorldCat fails to locate an earlier edition than the 1831 second edition with 80 pp. of text and fewer leaves of plates. It does locate three copies of the 1834 fifth edition: Wagner Free Institute of Science, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, and Bibliotheque Nationale & University of Strasbourg, however, these only have four leaves of plates.

Price: $180.00